What are the advantages and disadvantages of the power grid?

Answer 1

Advantages of powerline networkingMore and more devices are requiring internet connectivity these days. Televisions, Bluray players, game consoles and computers are among many gadgets needing separate internet connections. Running wires to each device can prove difficult and messy. Using wireless is often not available, slow, or spotty in certain rooms. With powerline networking you can take advantage of your electrical outlets that are in every room and use them to form a computer network.

Powerline networking uses your outlets to network devices in your house. Since an outlet is available in every room, this is the easiest way to attach a variety of devices as efficiently as possible. Since data is traveling through your wires, it's as fast as standard Ethernet connections. You also have equal strength coverage in your entire house unlike wireless connections.

Plugging in a power socket does not take up any of your outlet space. Each device you plug in will have an outlet of its own so you can still plugin your electronics into it. Each power socket box will have a button that can be pressed that automatically encrypts data sent to and from with no further configuration.

Powerline networking technology is simple to setup and requires no configuration. All of the hardware is plug and play which means it's ready out of the box. Unlike wireless connections which can be used by neighbors and passersby, powerline networking can only be used if you're in your house. Additionally the data is protected using powerful encryption methods.

Powerline networking devices work with any internet service provider and every existing household configuration. Many networking device makers such as Netgear and Linksys provide hardware to get you started. Each device will require nothing more than a power outlet and a power adapter. Just plugin and go!

Disadvantages:

First of all, if you use a Mac, you can't use PassPort power-line networking. It can be used only for Windows operating systems. Its speed is on the slow side, at 50 Kbps to 350 Kbps, and performance is affected by overall home power usage. In addition, PassPort can limit your printer's features. And if you're concerned about aesthetics and available outlets, PassPort's plug-in devices are large and can take over electrical outlets you might already use for other items. Finally, PassPort uses only 110-V lines and requires encryption for all data.